“Alone, alone, alone!”

I have been stewing over the fact that there are many people out there whose needs aren’t being met and was wondering why we are failing miserably at meeting their needs. With so many people out of work, why is it that these needs are not being met. There are so many empty buildings around and yet so many homeless people with no shelter for the night. And so many lonely people in the world just needing a bit of company. There are elderly people who can’t get about and feel unsafe on their own in their homes. Years ago family members would live close by or in the same property, looking after the older generation. Now families can live vast distances apart, even in other countries. What happens to the elderly person, all alone, weak and frail, facing the final time of their life?
One dear friend of mine in particular is struggling and i can’t help her any more than i already do and i felt annoyed about that.
Opening my new book ‘Hearing God’ by Dallas Willard – that arrived today, at a page already bookmarked i read:

“And here she is – alone, alone, alone!”
“A similar but even more profound feeling had come over me when our first child was born. I realised painfully that this incredibly beautiful little creature we had brought into the world was utterly separate from me and that nothing i could do would shelter him from his aloneness in the face of time, brutal events, the meanness of other human beings, his own wrong choices, the decay of his own body and, finally, death.
It is simply not within human capacity to care effectively for others in the depths of their life and being or even to be with them in finality – no matter how much we may care about them. If we could only really be with them, that would almost be enough, we think. But we cannot, at least not in a way that would satisfy us. For all of us the words of the old song are true: “You must go there by yourself.”

How amazingly timely and comforting to know that God knows exactly how i feel. He sees the needs and shows me so that i might be burdened with them too. Therefore not only teaching me compassion but also prompting me to want to do something about it. And as i realise the job is far too big for me alone, i feel this sense of hopelessness. But God in his almighty power, wisdom and compassion tells me through a passage in a book, at exactly the right time that i needed to hear it, that i am not alone. I am not alone in trying to help others and i’m not expected to do it all alone. Myself and those that i reach out to in their loneliness will never be completely satisfied with what i have to offer or what i can give because only God can fulfill their deepest needs. Only God will be with them in their final hour, as they pass from this life to the next. God is all seeing and all knowing, ever-present and here to stay! He promises never to leave us, so we need not feel alone because He is always with us!

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Heb.13:5)

References:

Willard, D. ‘Hearing God’ – Developing a Conversational Relationship with God (Inter Varsity Press, Illinois, 1999) p. 43.

The Holy Bible (NIV).

For God so loved …

God loves us so much that he gave us his own Son Jesus as a sacrifice for us. He also gave us free-will, so who are we to blame him when we mess up? I just find it very hard to understand or explain to others why he allows evil to continue in this world. However what comes to mind is that sin is sin in God’s eyes, whether it be a lie or murder, it is all evil. Therefore if God was to eradicate evil once and for all, then we would all die. He can’t pick and choose which evil event to intervene in and rescue people from because he is a Holy God so all sin is the same. So when it comes to blaming God for all the bad things that happen in the world, remember that we have free-will because he loves us and that if we want him to stop bad things from happening then we are actually asking him to remove us who cause the bad. We are all guilty of sin on some level, it is only us that rate how sinful sin is, with a lie being a small sin and murder being huge. A holy, perfect God who is bigger than we can imagine, could wipe us out if he wanted to but he doesn’t want to do that, he wants us all to be saved by coming to him through his Son Jesus. When we, in faith, accept the reality of Jesus being sent by God to save us from our sin, then we can approach God, with our baggage of sin laid on Jesus as he takes it all from us and cleanses us so that we can approach God.

Prayer

I am sorry Lord that we blame you for all the mess we make in this world. You are a Holy and loving God who wants the best for us and we let you, others and ourselves down when it comes to living the way you want us to live. You have provided for our every need and yet out of our greed, many people are starving in this world. You have blessed us with others to help us when we can’t look after ourselves. You have made a way for us to come to you, the Creator of all, yet who are we that you are mindful of us, that you should care for us? We are but dust, here today, gone tomorrow. But you Lord are eternal, forever lasting. I pray dear Jesus that many will come to know you and the true love you have for them, that they may realise how much it hurts you that we sin and hurt each other. Lord God, the world you created was perfect and good. We have turned away from you because of our own selfish desires and we even try to blame you for that. Thank you that you are a merciful God who forgives us and pours out your amazing grace upon us. We don’t deserve such favour. May you be known and praised forever more. Amen!

Ref.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Psa. 8:4 “what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?”

A time for evangelism…?

I have been reading a book by Mark Stibbe that has caught my interest. In it he speaks of entering a new season where “Shepherds are going to become heralds” and “Pastors are going to become evangelists”. He uses Luke 2:8-20 to explain how the shepherds go from watching their sheep to leaving the sheep and rushing off to see Jesus. Following this they spread the news like heralds.

Mark goes on to share what he sensed the Holy Spirit was saying:

 

“Tell pastors that they are going to experience major transition in their ministries. Many have been stuck in one particular field of influence watching over those who are already in the fold. You have done this faithfully and obediently, yet at the same time there has been a holy frustration in your heart. You have been crying out to yourself, “There must be more than this.” This message is from heaven and it is for you! I am going to take you in these coming years out of your field and give you a fresh enthusiasm for the person of my Son. It is in fact going to be like it was at the beginning for many of you. I am going to renew your first love and birth my Son afresh in your hearts. Out of the fullness of this revelation, i am going to cause you to move from being a pastor alone to being a pastor-evangelist – shepherds who cannot stop themselves going out of their comfort zones to declare who Jesus really is. As you do this, i will raise up others to look after the sheep so that you will be free to go after lost sheep rather than focus on those who have been found. As you do this, you will rediscover joy in service and a fresh passion for pastoring will come upon you as you return to the flock. As you see new faces, you will rejoice in what I, the Lord, have done.”

As i read this i thought about local churches including the one i attend and realised that at present we are already without the shepherds. A couple of churches that i know of in this area are without a full-time minister. Then i thought of those within the church i go to who have taken on the role of looking after the sheep and they seem to have the anointing to do just that. My only concern being that those that are already in the church need to be discipled. We all need to grow in our Christian walks, having mentors and those who are mature in Christ to teach us the ways of Jesus, taking us deeper into scripture but also deeper into a relationship with God.

In his book called ‘Prophetic Evangelism’ ,Mark Stibbe continues:

” So take heart. These are indeed years of transition. Some of you have always been pastors with an evangelist’s heart. In these days i will reactivate what has become dormant and you will experience a new release of evangelistic passion and anointing. But this is my message to you. Do not think that your ministry is always going to be like this. Prepare yourself for change. Look for those to whom you can delegate the shepherd’s tasks. Seek after a fresh revelation of Jesus that will compel you to declare the wonders of my Son.”

 

Well from an evangelistic point of view, no-one spreads the gospel better than a pastor who has been anointed to preach to the people. I am sure that many of you out there would be fine with sharing the gospel and your testimonies but as soon as the difficult questions come, you’re left feeling somewhat inadequate or not quite up for the job. Yet someone with the anointing to preach, who has a deep understanding of the word of God and a close relationship with our Lord, would be just right for doing the work of an evangelist. I’m not saying going up to individuals and preaching at them, if you are an evangelist then you know to be more sensitive than that. But if you have a gift in sharing the gospel in such a way that it is heard and understood then you should be using it in a big way, to reach as many of the lost as possible. Like the lamp on a stand you need to shine the light of Jesus for all to see. Like a beacon of a lighthouse revealing those dark and concealed areas that if not exposed will sink the ship, so you need to save those ships from sinking.

God wants us to be out there doing what Jesus done and ‘even greater things’, but that can’t be done from the pulpit. Where are the street-preachers of today? Where are the evangelists who, like the disciples, go out and pray for people on the streets, healing the sick and proclaiming the kingdom of God?

I agree that we should all be doing the work of an evangelist to some extent and as much as we can possibly do so. But we are all given different gifts to use in different areas of service. As Eph.4:11-12 says:

“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…”

 

So i’m going to end on this note because it is not for me to say what your calling is. Let the Holy Spirit guide you. It may be that he has already been speaking to you about such things and this might just be the confirmation you were seeking. Whatever you are being called to do, if God wants you to do it, he will let you know. You may not feel adequate but with God’s leading and guiding you and his working in and through you, well ‘all things are possible’.

“He told them, “The Harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Luke 10:2).

 

Ref. Stibbe, M., ‘Prophetic Evangelism’ – (When God speaks to those who don’t know him), London, Authentic Media, 2004.

How and what are you hearing?

Often when we think of how we hear, the first thing that comes to mind is that we listen with our ears. We hear the sound of a voice for example and the tone. We also hear with our eyes as we read what someone has said in written form; to read lips maybe; to read body language, etc. Braille is also another way to read and hear what a person has written. But one of the main ways we hear others is with our hearts.

“Therefore consider carefully how you listen” (Luke 8:18).

When we hear what a person has to say, we are not only hearing them, we are also hearing what is in our heart. This has been confirmed to me on a number of occasions now, usually when something i have said has been taken the wrong way. How this happens is quite amazing and yet at the same time can also be damaging. A recent comment of appraisal made by myself to another was heard by one person as belittling. I had only made a comment of how well the person was doing but because the heart of this one person was corrupt, the conversation that followed (when i had left the room) was one of disrepute, that judged my motive of heart as well as the statement i had made.

“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)

I know that i too have been guilty of this in the past, hearing only what i want to hear. So my suggestion to you is that when you hear something that sounds malicious or evil in some way, see if there is any other way that it could have been meant and heard! Check yourself and ask yourself how would you like to have heard it? How would you have said it? Do you have any bad feeling towards the person that made the comment? Do you have any bad feeling towards the person the comment was meant for (and yes that includes you, if it was for yourself)?

We also must be careful not to judge another person’s motives because we don’t really know the motives of their heart, only God knows.

Related verses: Mark 4:24; Matt.7:1;15:19; 1Sam.16:7 & 1Kings 8:39 (NIV Bible).

Suffering …

What a difficult subject this is especially for Christians who believe in a loving and healing God. So why does God allow suffering? I think this question can really only ever be answered by God, however i have come across a number of explanations which seem to have a common theme – growth. The following excerpt from the book - ‘The Reason For God’ by Timothy Keller – gave me some comfort during a difficult time that i have been going through, i pray it will help you in such times.

“Many people have to admit that most of what they really needed for success in life came to them through their most difficult and painful experiences. Some look back on an illness and recognise that it was an irreplaceable season of personal and spiritual growth for them.” (p.24)

“Though none of these people are grateful for the tragedies themselves, they would not trade the insight, character and strength they had gained from them for anything. With time and perspective most of us can see good reasons for at least some of the tragedy and pain that occurs in life. Why couldn’t it be possible that, from God’s vantage point, there are good reasons for all of them?”

“If you have a God great and transcendent enough to be mad at because he hasn’t stopped evil and suffering in the world, then you have (at the same moment) a God great and transcendent enough to have good reasons for allowing it to continue that you can’t know. Indeed you can’t have it both ways.” (p.25)

It gets me thinking about Isaiah 55:8-10 which says:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isn’t that the truth! In another book i have been reading recently – ‘Hinds’ Feet on High Places’ by Hannah Hurnard - one of which by reading the title, i would never have thought of reading (never judge a book by it’s cover), had it not been borrowed to me at such a time of suffering and change, i felt i could relate to and understand in part this allegory to my own spiritual journey. I felt hopeful as i read:

“She had the feeling that somehow, in the very far-off places, perhaps even in far-off ages, there would be a meaning found to all sorrow and an answer too fair and wonderful to be as yet understood.” (p.60) 

and i am left feeling hopeful for just that hint of what i first had when i came to Christ, that deep love and security and to be able to rest in his presence with assurance of this.

“Perhaps it had needed the desert wastes to open her eyes to all this beauty, but she walked through the wood, almost forgetting for a little that Sorrow and her sister (Suffering) also walked with her.” (p.69)

I have questioned God again and again on why he allows suffering and have struggled to see God as a good God. He has not let me down in that he still talks to me even when i don’t want to talk to him. Recently he gave me a word from Job 2:10

“Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

Of course that is what we want and expect from a good God. But then where would love, respect and faithfulness be on our part, if we just received blessings from God? Where is the test in that? Yes we can praise God with ease and tell him how much we love him when he is blessing us with good things and when all is going well. But when things are difficult and times are really hard – is it so easy to praise God then? I tell you now from personal experience, it most definately is not.

The story of Job in the bible was always the one i avoided the most. I read it through once and that was enough for me. Somehow by putting it to the back of my mind i didn’t have to face those difficult questions of suffering and God’s goodness. Now it seems that i cannot escape them. Finally i have to face it and accept that only God knows the bigger picture and the reasons why suffering has to be. I have to trust that God is good and that he works all things together for good. He knows what is best for us and when we mess up he brings the good out of the situation. It is so easy to blame God for the evil in the world because in our eyes he is not doing anything about it but is allowing it to happen. What can i say but that i do believe that God is real, i also believe that he knows best and therefore i need to trust that despite what i’m going through and what i see others go through, based on what i know of God, he must be good!

If this has been of any encouragement i would suggest that you read the story about Joseph in the bible as his sufferings led to greatness that only God could have brought about. God already knew the plans he had for Joseph and had revealed these in part to him through dreams. The trials that Joseph went through and the years of imprisonment would refine and grow his character in preparation for his success.

“For i know the plans i have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer.29:11)

Torn – 24/07/11

24/07/11 – I don’t know why but lately i feel torn in two. It’s really strange but part of me wants to scream at everyone and remove myself from the world and tell everyone where to go and throw things out of anger, frustration and hurt – yet i can’t say exactly where it’s coming from. That’s not good really, coming from a trainee counsellor. The other part of me is desperately crying out for help and not knowing where to turn or who to turn to. Actually it feels as though i have no-one to turn to so this in itself only angers me more.

From training i have been taught to look at the thinking that precedes these feelings and i must say they are negative but hold some truth as i see it. Firstly i feel angry that there is suffering in this world but i accept that it is part of life however that doesn’t make me feel any better. Then i see how others put their pathetic wants before someone elses desperate needs and this angers me yet i have to be understanding and merciful at their lack of maturity and understanding. But i think what angers me the most is that for some time now i have been beating myself up about not loving God and others as i should only to find that the church as a whole is failing to love one-another and yet carries on as if nothing is wrong.

I know this must sound hypocritical and i guess that seems to be the problem for a lot of people in the church. We go around putting on a brave face and saying everything is alright when inside we are desperate for companionship, understanding, love and acceptance. If we do voice it then we are often rejected or seen as needy, lonely people and if we don’t say nothing then we suffer and fail to be loving to others because of resentment and bitterness building up within.

I want to say that Christians all over the place are failing to show God’s love. We are all failing to love each other as we should. And to all you non-Christians out there – don’t expect us to be perfect because at the end of the day we are still human with our own struggles and emotions. Just because we have our Christian faith it does not mean that we are faultless or unable to do things wrong but when we do that does not necessarily make us hypocrites either. Sometimes we can all be hypocrites but many of us are trying to do the right thing.

We all sin, whether we are aware of it or not. Christians and non-Christians alike. So when you read this if you think it is a load of criticism and sounds judgemental what you need to understand is that i am just letting off steam in a very gentle way because i feel so angry at the wrong i see around me. Is that so wrong?

I know that there are many people out there that do have a loving and compassionate heart, i’m just not seeing it at this time.

There is a real danger in the church regarding oppression. All this time i have been viewing those who are oppressed as people with addictions and those trapped in violent relationships, etc. But now i am questioning the tight religious constraints that i myself feel under within the church. I can understand why so many people leave the church environment and yet claim to be devout Christians. We do need fellowship, don’t get me wrong, but within a church setting it can feel somewhat unreal, false at times and i have felt that much more goes on behind the scenes than i’m not seeing or hearing about. This only plants a seed of distrust in me. Of late i am feeling more and more inclined to move on from the church setting with its restrictions and religious rituals and routines.

Anyway that is enough complaining from me for one day. I’m sure i’ve now got a few backs up from writing this but i’m just expressing my thoughts and feelings and would welcome any feedback you have for me.

At the end of the day it’s not about you or me or church but it’s about God’s love for us demonstrated through Jesus Christ. We, the people of the church should be showing this same love for one-another as is God’s command. I include myself in this and urge the people of the church to do this with great urgency and deliberation. It’s not just the lost that need to feel God’s love. It needs to start in the church among the children of God before it can reach those outside. What good are we to others if we are feeling empty and unloved ourselves?

Apathy …?

Apathy … why? Is it too painful to feel?

Would releasing that anger be such a big deal?

If you cried all those tears and then cried a bit more,

would that make you feel better or leave you feeling raw?

 

What’s the worst that could happen when you’re facing the pain?

Just a whole lot of truth that you’re facing again.

Yes it hurts and it pains but at least it is real,

no good lying to yourself, not allowing to feel.

 

And when all’s said and done and you release the pain

and your left feeling empty, just remember his name,

only Jesus can help you, believe me, this is true

he will carry you and your pain as he helps you through.

 

 

Please help me through Lord Jesus!

Amen!